Extension-table



(No Model.)

B. J. ROBERTS.

EXTENSION TABLE.

No. 569,059. Patented Oct. 6,1896.

lllllflllllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH J. ROBERTS, or BooNE,1owA.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,059, dated October 6, 1896.

Application filed September 6, 1895. Serial No. 561,715. (No model.)

T on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIJAH J. ROBERTS, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Boone, in the county of Boone and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Extension-Table, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in details of construction as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete table with parts of one side broken away to show details of construction. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the table. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism for holding the table-leaves together after they are placed in position. Fig. 4 is a detail View showing the device for holding the table-leaves in horizontal alinement when forming part of the table-top. I

In the accompanying drawings the reference-letter A is used to designate the tablelegs, A the transverse end pieces of the frame, and A the central cross-piece.

B B are parts of the top-supporting frame fixed to one of the said end pieces and provided with atongue on each side and extended longitudinally beneath the table-top at the sides thereof, B B being parts for a similar purpose at the other end of the table, and each composed of two parts adapted to admit the pieces B between them and provided with grooves to admit the tongues on said pieces B.

O O designate racks attached to the under edges of the pieces B B, and G' is a shaft journaled in suitable bearings fixed to the parts B and extended transversely beneath the table. A pinion C is hinged to each end of the shaft and in mesh with the racks C C. A crank may be detachably connected with the said shaft and provide means whereby the shaft may be rotated and the ends of the table moved relative to each other.

D designates the auxiliary leaves, which are connected with the parallel parts 13 B of the frame by means of links D which connection is so arranged that when the first leaf is pulled upwardly its top surface will so be flush with the table-top and the links assume a vertical position to support the leaf against vertically-applied weight, and when the table-top is drawn together it will be obvious that the leaf will be firmly held in place. The links D are straight and short and pivotally connected with the under sides of the leaves D and the top surfaces of the parts B in such a manner that the top surfaces of the movable leaves D will, when lowered, remain close to the under surfaces of the fixed leaves of the table and consequently have a very limited vertical movement, as the links D are alternately changed from vertical to horizontal positions and as required to assure the successful operation of springs in elevating the leaves D as they are successively brought into proper positions by the horizontal motions of a portion of the frame of the table. Any suitable number of leaves may be placed upon the parts B B in a like manner, and nor- 7o mally rest thereupon, beneath the table-top.

To provide for the automatic placing of the table-leaves in position when the top is separated, I have provided the two leaf-springs F, fixed to the parts B B beneath each leaf, to normally exert a yielding pressure in an upward direction, so that when the table-top is sufficiently separated to clear one of the leaves it will be-thrown into position parallel with the table-top and be held therein by the links D To retain the top surface of the table level when the adjustable leavesD are elevated, I have provided fixed pins H to project horizontally from one edge of a table leaf in 8 such a manner that it will enter a recess H in the under side of an adjoining leaf, as shown in Fig. 4, and as required to serve as a dowel-pin without interfering with the up and .down motions of the movable leaves D. It is obvious that by this construction there will be no movement of a leaf required to bring the edges of two contiguous leaves into close contact after they are in the same horizontal plane at the top, while at the same time the projecting pin in one will enter the recess in the other, as one of the leaves moves vertically, to perform the function of a d0wel pin, and, consequently, lap-joints on the edges of the mating leaves are not required.

Assumingthat the table be in. position with all of the leaves beneath the top, it will be seen that by a rotation of the shaft 0 the table-top will be separated and one of the leaves automatically spring into position. Then by a reversal of the movement of the said crank the top is brought together and the leaf supported therein.

In order to prevent a separation of the table-top at any point, I have provided a ratchetwheel J, fixed to the shaft 0 and a gravitylatch J 2 to engage said ratchet. A dog J pivoted'to a suitable support, is arranged to engage the said gravity-latch and hold it out of contact with the ratchet when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an extension-table, the combination of the mating leaves D, respectively provided with dowel-pins H and recesses H pivoted links D and the supports B having fixed leaf-springs F, for the purposes stated.

2. The combination of an extension-table, of two end pieces each having a stationary top thereon, suitable bars fixed to each part and slidingly connected with each other, a series of extension-leaves mounted on said bars, and provided with dowel-pins and recesses as set forth, links pivoted to the bars and to the extension-leaves and of such a length as to assume avertical position when the extension-leaves are elevated to horizontal alinement with the stationary top, and yielding-pressure devices fixed to the same bars to normally force the leaves upwardly, for the purposes stated.

ELIJAH J. ROBERTS.

Vitnesses:

D. M. YOUNG, A. V. NEW'TON. 

